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Von Trapps Wanted Hathaway In 'Sound Of Music'

By Jackie Willis 9:21 AM PST, December 6, 2013

Photo: Getty Images

It turns out the von Trapp family was not too keen on Carrie Underwood playing Maria in NBC's Thursday night performance of The Sound Of Music Live. In fact, they had an Oscar winner in mind for the role.

On Dec. 2, 2012, prior to Underwood's performance, Maria's granddaughter Francoise von Trapp shared her misgivings about the role going to the 30-year-old singer, writing on her blog: "Personally, I'd have put my money on Anne Hathaway, who in her upcoming role as Fantine in Les Miserable, proves that she can act and sing."

Francoise certainly doesn't shy away from what she really thinks of the country crooner, continuing: "Carrie Underwood as Maria? Seriously? I mean, I have nothing against her personally - she's an extremely talented country singer, but I'm pretty sure my father is repeatedly rolling over in his grave. Since the movie version of SOM won an Academy Award the year I was born, it's always been easy to identify with Julie Andrews' portrayal of my grandmother. It's a little harder to envision Carrie that way. (But I do realize that's what happens when Hollywood freezes time.) And while the girl can sing (although her voice lacks the Soprano purity of Julie Andrews) can she act?"

As for the rest of the von Trapp family, Francoise says "most of us don't think Carrie can quite fill Dame Julie Andrews' dirndl; or Mary Martin's for that matter. With all this indignation among the third and fourth generations, it makes me wonder, when they cast the original movie, what sort of comments my father and his siblings had about the actors who were portraying them and their parents. Maybe that's why they changed the names of the children."